Method and system for preventing copying of information from previews of webpages

ABSTRACT

A copy prohibition method and system is disclosed, which can provide a preview page with copy prohibition means inserted thereinto, so as to prohibit a copy of information displayed on the preview page, the method comprising receiving a selection request for a preview page of a predetermined webpage from a user; inserting copy prohibition means into the preview page; and providing the preview page with the copy prohibition means inserted thereinto to the user. When providing the preview page to the user, the user is notified that the corresponding preview page has the copy prohibition function. Thus, the user becomes easily aware of that the copy is prohibited in the corresponding preview page.

RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No.10-2007-0063248, filed on Jun. 26, 2007, which is hereby incorporated byreference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

1. Field

The present disclosure relates to internet related services and moreparticularly prohibiting unauthorized copies of contents of web pagesfrom their previews.

2. Discussion of the Related Art

There are Internet services providing previews of certain webpages. Thewebpage previews include a portion of the target webpages as displayedin the target webpages. The webpage preview services are typically usedin combination with Internet searches, Internet shopping, etc. Forexample, certain Internet search services provide a search resultlisting along with preview of certain webpages located in theirsearches. Another example is on-line bookstores, which provide excerptsor previews of user selected books.

The foregoing discussion is solely to provide background information ofthis disclosure and does not constitute an admission of prior art.

SUMMARY

One aspect of the invention provides a method of providing a copyprevention feature in a preview of a web page. The method comprises:selecting at least a portion of a first webpage; formulating a contentcomprising a preview of the first webpage, the preview comprising theselected portion; and transmitting, to a remote terminal, the contentalong with a command for preventing the preview from being copied on theremote terminal.

In the foregoing method, the command may be configured to trigger acomputer program for blocking a copying function of a browser. Thecommand may be incorporated in codes for displaying the content. Thecodes may include a Java Script. The content can include a search resultlisting a plurality of webpages comprising the first webpage; or asynopsis of a book or literature comprising a portion of the book orliterature as the preview; or a page of an on-line bookstore comprisinga portion of a book for sale as the preview. The foregoing method mayfurther comprise receiving, from the remote terminal, a request fordisplaying a preview of the first webpage; and the selecting is carriedout prior to or subsequent to receiving the request.

The method may further include providing a database comprising aplurality of entries of webpages, for which the command is to betransmitted along with a preview thereof; and determining the firstwebpage is listed in the database prior to transmitting. Providing thedatabase may include determining if a second webpage incorporates a copyprevention technology for information contained therein; and adding thesecond webpage to the database. The method may further comprisedetermining if the portion is copy-protected on the first webpage priorto transmitting. The determining may include searching for acopy-preventing command in codes of the first webpage. The foregoingmethod may further comprise determining whether a URL of the firstwebpage is any one in a list of predetermined URLs, wherein when the URLof the first webpage is any one in the list of predetermined URLs,transmitting the content along with the command to the remote terminal,

Another aspect of the present invention provides a method of displayinga web content comprising a preview of a webpage. The method comprises:receiving data for displaying a web content; and displaying, on aterminal, the web content comprising a preview of a web page, whereinthe preview is configured so as to prevent at least part of the previewfrom being copied. The method may further include attempting, on theterminal, to copy at least part of the preview from the displayed webcontent; generating a notification configured to notify the preview iscopy-protected. The data can include the preview and command forpreventing the preview from being copied on the terminal. The commandcan be configured to trigger a computer program for blocking a copyingfunction of a browser on the terminal, or may be incorporated in codesfor displaying the web content. The codes may include a Java Script.

Yet another aspect of the present invention may provide a system forproviding a web content comprising a preview of a webpage. The systemcomprises a selection module configured to select at least a portion ofa first webpage; a web content module configured to formulate a webcontent comprising a preview of the first webpage, the previewcomprising the selected portion; and a transmission module configured totransmit, to a remote terminal, the web content along with a command forpreventing the preview from being copied on the remote terminal. Theforegoing system may further comprise a determining module configured todetermine whether a URL of the first webpage is any one in a list ofpredetermined URLs, wherein the transmission module transmits the webcontent along with the command to the remote terminal when the URL ofthe first webpage is any one in the list of predetermined URLs. Thedetermining module may further determine if the portion iscopy-protected on the first webpage. The command can be configured totrigger a computer program for blocking a copying function of a browseron the remote terminal or may be incorporated in codes for displayingthe web content. The codes may include a Java Script. The web contentcan include a search result comprising the webpage.

Another aspect of the present invention provides a copy prohibitionmethod and system which can provide a preview page with copy prohibitionmeans inserted thereinto, so as to prohibit a copy of informationdisplayed on the preview page.

Another aspect of the present invention provides a copy prohibitionmethod and system which can display information that the copy isprohibited in the corresponding preview page.

Another aspect of the present invention provides a copy prohibitionmethod and system which can determine to insert copy prohibition meansinto a preview page based on whether a corresponding webpage includes acopy prohibition function in itself.

Additional advantages, aspects and features of the invention will be setforth in part in the description and will become apparent to thosehaving ordinary skill.

According to one embodiment, a method of prohibiting copy comprisesreceiving a selection request for a preview page of a predeterminedwebpage from a user; inserting copy prohibition means into the previewpage; and providing the preview page with the copy prohibition meansinserted thereinto to the user.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the method comprisesdetermining whether a URL of the predetermined webpage is any one in alist of predetermined URLs, wherein when the URL of the predeterminedwebpage is any one in the list of predetermined URLs, the copyprohibition means is inserted into the preview page.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the method comprisesdetermining whether the predetermined webpage includes a copyprohibition function in itself, wherein when it is determined that thepredetermined webpage includes the copy prohibition function in itself,the copy prohibition means is inserted into the preview page.

At this time, the copy prohibition means is implemented using JavaScript. Also, the copy prohibition means includes the informationdisplaying that the copy is prohibited in the corresponding previewpage.

In another aspect of the present invention, a system for prohibitingcopy comprises a copy prohibition unit to insert copy prohibition meansto a preview page when receiving a selection request for the previewpage of a predetermined webpage from a user; and an interface unit toreceive the selection request for the preview page from the user, and toprovide the preview page with the copy prohibition means insertedthereinto to the user.

It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description andthe following detailed description of the present invention areexemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide furtherexplanation of the invention as claimed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a furtherunderstanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute apart of this application, illustrate embodiment(s) of the invention andtogether with the description serve to explain the principle of theinvention. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an exemplary screen showing a preview service used in a searchservice;

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a network with a copy prevention systemaccording to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a copy prevention method according to oneembodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a copy prevention method according toanother embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Reference will now be made in detail to various embodiments of thepresent invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings. The same reference numbers are generally used throughout thedrawings to refer to the same or like parts. Hereinafter, a method andsystem for prohibiting copy of contents according to the presentinvention will be explained with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is an exemplary screen showing a result of an Internet search,using a search query “patent.” The result includes a preview 4 of awebpage located from the search. In one embodiment, the search resultdoes not include the preview; however, the preview may display uponuser's selection or clicking of the preview link 2.

Certain webpages contain proprietary information or contents, which theowners or posters of such information or contents do not wish todistribute without their authorization. Some of such webpages use a copyprevention or prohibition technology that prevents others from copyingsuch information or contents without authorization of the owners or thewebpage administrators. When these webpages are listed in Internetsearch results like FIG. 1, at least a portion of the proprietaryinformation or contents may be displayed in the preview section 4 of thesearch result page. In some situations, even though these webpages adopta copy prevention technology, it is possible that the preview portionmay still be copied for use in another software application. Embodimentsof the invention provide solutions and ways to prevent unauthorizedcopying of such proprietary information or contents from previews ofwebpages.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a network with a copy prohibition systemaccording to one embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG.2, the copy prohibition system 10 provides a tool for blocking copyingof a preview content provided to a user terminal 14 through Internet 12.The copy prohibition system 10 includes an interface unit 16, a searchunit 18, a database 20 and a copy prohibition unit 22.

The interface unit 16 receives a search query from a user; and providesa search result obtained in response to the search query to the user.Also, the interface unit 16 receives a preview request for apredetermined webpage among the search result provided from the user;and provides a preview page, into which copy prohibition means isinserted in response to the received preview request, to the user.

The search unit 18 executes or conducts a search for the search queryreceived through the interface unit 16; obtains the search result inresponse to the search query; and provides the obtained search result tothe user through the interface unit 16. One embodiment of the presentinvention describes that the copy prohibition system 10 includes thesearch unit 18. In a modified embodiment of the present invention, thecopy prohibition system 10 may not include the search unit 18, that is,the copy prohibition system 10 receives the search result obtained inresponse to the search query from an external search server (not shown).

The preview page for the webpage is stored in the database 20. Thepreview page can be stored in the database 20 by caching the webpage. Inthis case, caching means that the corresponding webpage is stored in theadditional database so as to provide the corresponding webpage to theuser rapidly. If needed, the webpage may be firstly edited and thenstored as well.

One embodiment of the present invention describes that the database 20is included in the copy prohibition system 10. In the modifiedembodiment of the present invention, the copy prohibition system 10 mayuse the database (not shown) included in the external search server (notshown), instead of including the database 20 therein.

The copy prohibition unit 22 generates the copy prohibition means; andinserts the generated copy prohibition means into the preview page readfrom the database 20. In the embodiment of the present invention,generation and insertion of the copy prohibition means may beimplemented using Java Script. Java Script corresponds to a scriptprogramming language proposed so as to dynamically execute the webpage,that is, object-based script programming language based on a prototypeconcept.

The copy prohibition unit 22 generates the copy prohibition means usingJava Script; and inserts the generated copy prohibition means into HTMLdocument of the corresponding preview page using tag “script”.

When the copy prohibition unit 22 generates the copy prohibition meansin one embodiment of the present invention, it is possible for the copyprohibition means to include information displaying that the copy isprohibited in the corresponding preview page. Thus, the user becomeseasily aware of that the copy is prohibited in the corresponding previewpage.

In the above embodiment of the present invention, the copy prohibitionunit 22 directly generates the copy prohibition means; and inserts thegenerated copy prohibition means into the preview page. In the modifiedembodiment of the present invention, the copy prohibition unit 22 mayinsert the copy prohibition means generated by the external server intothe preview page. In this case, the copy prohibition unit 22 receivesthe copy prohibition means from the external server; and inserts thereceived copy prohibition means into the preview page.

In the above embodiment of the present invention, the copy prohibitionsystem 10 inserts the copy prohibition means into the preview page. Inanother embodiment of the present invention, the copy prohibition meansmay be selectively inserted into the preview page.

For this, the copy prohibition system 10 includes a determining unit 24to determine whether the copy prohibition function is included in thewebpage on user's preview request. Thus, only when it is determined thatthe copy prohibition function is included in the corresponding webpage,the copy prohibition means is inserted into the preview page.

In case of the webpage built so as to prohibit the copy of predeterminedinformation, the webpage can prohibit the copy of information in itself.General preview services do not allow the execution of script. In thisrespect, the copy prohibition of preview page is determined based onwhether the webpage includes the copy prohibition function in itself.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the determining unit 24determines whether the webpage includes the information for the copyprohibition of webpage in a webpage parsing step for generating thepreview page, to thereby determine whether the webpage includes the copyprohibition function. For example, it is determined that thecorresponding webpage includes the copy prohibition function when thecorresponding webpage includes a code for realizing the copy prohibitionfunction, or a tag for a copy or paste pre-defined in Java Script objectof the webpage.

In another embodiment of the present invention, when a Uniform ResourceLocation (URL) of the webpage falls into any URL in a list ofpredetermined URLs, the copy prohibition function can be inserted intothe preview page of the corresponding webpage. In this case, thedetermining unit 28 determines whether the URL of the correspondingwebpage is included in the list of predetermined URLs.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the webpage may includethe copy prohibition function in itself. Then, it could be determinedwhether the copy prohibition function of the webpage is also implementedin the preview page in the webpage caching step. If not, the copyprohibition means may be inserted into the preview page.

The above-mentioned embodiment of the present invention describes thatthe copy prohibition system 10 is applied to the webpage included in thesearch result. In a modified embodiment of the present invention, thecopy prohibition system 10 may be applied to a general webpage otherthan the webpage included in the search result. For example, a websitemay provide link information for certain contents, and also provide apreview service for the corresponding contents.

A method for prohibiting the copy of preview page using theaforementioned copy prohibition system according to the presentinvention will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4. Referringto FIG. 3, first, the search query is received from the user, and thesearch result obtained in response to the corresponding search query isprovided to the user (S100). When the selection request for the previewpage of the predetermined webpage included in the search result isreceived from the user (S110), the corresponding preview page is readfrom the database 20 (S120), and the copy prohibition means to beinserted into the preview page is generated (S125). Then, afterinserting the generated copy prohibition means into the preview pageread (S130), the preview page with the copy prohibition means insertedthereinto is provided to the user (S140). In one embodiment of thepresent invention, the generation and insertion of the copy prohibitionmeans can be implemented using Java Script.

The aforementioned embodiment of the present invention describes thatthe copy prohibition means is inserted into the preview page. In themodified embodiment of the present invention, the copy prohibition meansmay be inserted selectively.

As shown in FIG. 4, the search query is received from the user, and thesearch result obtained in response to the corresponding search query isprovided to the user (S200). When the selection request for the previewpage of the predetermined webpage included in the search result isreceived from the user (S210), the corresponding preview page is readfrom the database 20 (S215).

Then, it is determined whether the webpage of the corresponding previewpage includes the copy prohibition function in itself (S220). When it isdetermined that the corresponding webpage includes the copy prohibitionfunction in itself, the copy prohibition means is generated (S225); thegenerated copy prohibition means is inserted into the preview page read(S230); and the preview page with the copy prohibition means insertedthereinto is provided to the user (S240).

In case of the webpage built so as to prohibit the copy of predeterminedinformation, the insertion of the copy prohibition means into thepreview page is determined based on whether the webpage includes thecopy prohibition function in itself, so that it disenables the copy ofthe predetermined information included in the webpage. General previewservices do not allow the execution of script. In this respect, the copyprohibition of preview page is determined based on whether the webpageincludes the copy prohibition function in itself.

If the webpage includes the copy prohibition function in itself, it maybe necessary for the preview page to include the copy prohibitionfunction therein. If not, it may not be necessary for the preview pageto include the copy prohibition function therein.

When the copy prohibition function is not included in the preview page,the copy prohibition means can be inserted into the preview page afterdetermining whether the corresponding webpage includes the copyprohibition function in itself and the copy prohibition function of thecorresponding webpage is also implemented in the preview page in thewebpage caching step. When it is determined that the webpage of thecorresponding preview page includes the copy prohibition function initself during the step of S220, the preview page read from the database20 is provided to the user (S250).

In another embodiment of the present invention, it is determined whetherthe URL of the corresponding webpage is included in the list ofpredetermined URLs. When the URL of the corresponding webpage fall intoany URL in the list of predetermined URLs, the copy prohibition functionmay be inserted into the preview page of the corresponding webpage.

The aforementioned copy prohibition methods may be implemented in typeof programs executed by various computers. In this case, the programs toexecute the copy prohibition methods are stored in recording mediareadable by the computers, for example, hard-disc, CD-ROM, DVD, ROM, RAMor flash memory.

As mentioned above, when receiving the preview request, the preview pagewith the copy prohibition means inserted thereinto is provided to theuser, thereby protecting the copyright of webpage by prohibiting theillegitimate copy of the information displayed on the preview page.

When providing the preview page to the user, the user can be notifiedthat the corresponding preview page has the copy prohibition function.Thus, the user becomes easily aware of that the copy is prohibited inthe corresponding preview page.

The insertion of the copy prohibition means into the preview page isdetermined based on whether the webpage with the preview page requestedby the user includes the copy prohibition function in itself, so that itis possible to reflect the intent of building the webpage with the copyprohibition function.

For example, the aforementioned embodiment of the present inventiondescribes that the copy prohibition means is inserted into the previewpage. The preview page is only one example of caching the predeterminedwebpage. The insertion of copy prohibition means according to thepresent invention can be applied to all cases of caching thepredetermined webpage, for example, more-view page or stored page,without limitation.

The aforementioned embodiment of the present invention describes thatthe copy prohibition means inserted into the preview page is implementedin type of Java Script. In the modified embodiment of the presentinvention, the copy prohibition means may be implemented in type ofActive X control, and furthermore, in any types of program executioncode to prohibit the copy of preview page.

Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have beendisclosed for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art willappreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions arepossible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the inventionas disclosed in the accompanying claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of providing a copy prevention featurein a preview of a web page using a processor, the method comprising:selecting at least a portion of a first webpage; formulating a contentcomprising a preview of the first webpage, the preview comprising theselected portion; determining, by the processor, whether the firstwebpage is included in a database of webpages that comprisecopy-protection, and transmitting, to a remote terminal, the contentalong with a command inserted into the preview for preventing thepreview from being copied on the remote terminal, in response to thedetermination that the first webpage is included in the database.
 2. Themethod of claim 1, wherein the command is configured to trigger acomputer program for blocking a copying function of a browser.
 3. Themethod of claim 1, wherein the command is incorporated in codes fordisplaying the content.
 4. The method of claim 3, wherein the codescomprises a Java Script.
 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the contentcomprises a search result listing a plurality of webpages comprising thefirst webpage.
 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the content comprises asynopsis of a book or literature comprising a portion of the book orliterature as the preview.
 7. The method of claim 1, further comprisingreceiving, from the remote terminal, a request for displaying a previewof the first webpage, wherein the selecting is carried out subsequent tothe receiving of the request.
 8. The method of claim 1 furthercomprising: determining whether a second webpage is included in thedatabase.
 9. The method of claim 8, further comprising: determining ifthe second webpage comprises copy-prevention technology for informationcontained therein, if the second webpage is not included in thedatabase; and adding the second webpage to the database, if the secondwebpage is determined to include copy-prevention technology.
 10. Themethod of claim 1, further comprising determining if the portion of thefirst webpage is copy-protected, prior to the transmitting.
 11. Themethod of claim 10, wherein determining comprises searching for acopy-preventing command in codes of the first webpage.
 12. Anon-transitory computer-readable recording medium having embodiedthereon an executable program which, when executed, performs the methodof claim
 1. 13. A system for providing a web content comprising apreview of a webpage, the system comprising: a storage device; aninterface unit configured to select at least a portion of a firstwebpage from the search results, to formulate web content comprising apreview of the first webpage, the preview comprising the selectedportion, and to transmit the web content to a remote terminal, alongwith a command inserted into the preview for preventing the preview frombeing copied on the remote terminal; and a determining unit stored onthe storage device and configured to determine whether the first webpageis included in a database of webpages that comprise copy-protection,wherein the interface unit transmits the web content along with thecommand to the remote terminal, when the first webpage is included inthe database.
 14. The system of claim 13, wherein the determining unitfurther determines if the portion of the first webpage iscopy-protected.
 15. The system of claim 13, wherein the command isconfigured to trigger a computer program for blocking a copying functionof a browser on the remote terminal.
 16. The system of claim 13, whereinthe command is incorporated in codes for displaying the web content. 17.The system of claim 13, wherein the codes comprises a Java Script. 18.The system of claim 13, wherein the web content comprises a searchresult comprising the webpage.